If they hope to build on that momentum this season, they'll have to do it without their burly power forward and unquestioned leader for the next two months.

Randolph is expected to miss six to eight weeks after tearing a ligament in his right knee, the team announced Wednesday.

"That's life," coach Lionel Hollins said. "You have to go and play. He's not going to be here. We can't worry about what ifs and what we should do to get him back. This is where we are."

The 6-foot-9, 255-pound Randolph tore his right MCL in the first quarter of the Grizzlies' 104-64 loss at Chicago on Sunday. Randolph had an MRI on Tuesday, and the team learned of the prognosis Wednesday afternoon before they played at Minnesota.

It's a crushing blow to the Grizzlies, who had never made it out of the first round of the playoffs in their nine seasons before last year's remarkable run, the deepest a No. 8 seed has ever gone.

Randolph scored at least 30 points and grabbed at least 10 rebounds four times in the playoffs last season, and he also provided some toughness on defense.